Closure for open-top refrigerator cabinet



A. V. FROHNAPEL CLOSURE FOR OPENfTOP REFRIGERAT'OR CABINET Nov. 11,1952I 2 SHEETS- SHEET 1 original. Filed Jun` 13, 1947 Nov. 11, 19.52

,A. v. FROHNAPEL CLOSURE FOR OPEN-TOP REFRIGERATOR CABINET 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 original Filed 'June 15. 1947 INVENroR. @5411 KFM/4PM Anm?Patented Nov. 11, 1952 cLosURE Foa OPEN-'rop REFRIGERATOR CABINET AlvahV. Frohnapel, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Nash-Kelvinator Corporation,Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Maryland Original application June 13,1947, Serial No.

754,376. Divided and this application May 5, 1950, Serial No. 160,187

` 2 Claims. i l

This invention relates generally to refrigeratlng apparatus andparticularly to ice cream cabinet lids.

This application is a divisionof my co-pending be of any suitable type..is preferably provided between theinner and outer lid pans 32, 34 todecrease heat leakage into the storage compartment .0f the cabinet.

The inner dish-like lidl (Cl. 1GO-232) member 32 is preferably made of amaterialv of low heat conductivity, such as phenolic plastic whereas theouter lid pan 34 is a 'composite ystructure oi two, secured togethermetal sheets application, Serial No. 754,376, now Patent No. 35,36. O-fthese metal sheets, the inner sheet '35 2,592,412, filed June 13, 1947.is preferably made of relatively thick sheet steel One of the objects ofthe present invention is to provide strength and rigidity to the lid andthe t0 provide an improved pair of hinged-together other or cuter sheet3S is made of a relatively lids for closure of ice cream cabinetopenings. thin sheet of corrosive resistant material, such as Anotherobject of the invention resides in the stainless steel. As shown, thestainless steel sheet sealing of the joint between opposed, hinged- 36lies flat against and conforms to the outer together edges of a pair ofice cream cabinet lids. contour of the Vinner steel sheet 3S, the pan 34Another object of the invention is to provide and itscomplementaryrust'resisting cover sheet an improved arrangement of a pair of hinged-V36 preferably being slightly arched or curved together lids, hinge andseal to facilitate assemoutwardly to give added strength and rigiditybly of -the parts and provide efficient, convenient thereto. Preferably,the sheets of the outer pan to use closure lids. are welded togetherprior to assembly of the lid Further objects and advantages of thepresent parts. invention will be apparent from the following Preferably,the 1ids28 are of rectangular shape description, reference being had tothe accomin cross section, the inner pan 32 thereof havpanying drawings,wherein a preferred form of ing a bottom 40, opposite sides 42 andopposite the present invention is clearly shown. ends 44 and 46. The pansides.42, end 44 and In the drawings: bottom 40 are formed or moldedintegral and Fig. 1 is an end View of an ice creamvrefrigerare providedwith an outwardly directed, marator cabinet embodying features of myvinvenginal portion or flange 48 extending along the tOn; upper edgesthereof. The other end 46 of the Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, plan view ofthe relid inner pan 32 is preferably a separately made frigeratorcabinet including a pair of hingedpart which in addition to forming anend of the together cover lids; lid, supports the hinge 30. This endmember 46 Fig. 3 is a sectional view of one of the lids, 30 of the innerpan 32 is preferably of general chantaken along the line 3--3 of Figure2; nel shape in cross section for strength and rigid- Fig. '4 is asectional view of the lids at the ity having a web, upper and lowerinwardly dihinges, taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 2; rected marginalportions or flanges 5D, and oppo- Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, isometricview of the site end flanges 5l. The hinge supporting end hinge; 35 46of the lid may have its bottom flange 50 and Fig. 6 is an isometric viewpartly broken away end flanges 5I respectively cemented tc the botand insection of one of the lids; tom and sides 42 of the inner pan or theseFig. '7 is a sectional view of one of the lids, parts may be securedtogether in any other suittakenl along the line 1 1 of Figure 2; andable manner. The upper flange 5| of the lend Fig. 6 is an enlarged,fragmentary cross sec- 40 members 46 is substantially co-planar with thetional view of the lid hinge. outwardly directed marginal portion orflange 48 In the drawings, there is shown, a refrigeratof the lid innerpan. An inwardly offset,- outer ing apparatus cabinet 20 of a typesuitable for marginal portion or flange 54 of the outer lid storage ofice cream, package goods, etc. The member 34 overlaps and seats on theflanges 48, cabinet 20 may be of general rectangular shape 45 50 of thelid inner pan 32. These overlapping, in cross section having side walls22, end walls outer marginal portions of the lid together with v24 and atop wall 26. In the cabinet top wall alsealing gasket 56 are receivedand clamped 2E, a. number of openings 21 provide access to the togetherby a clamping strip 60 which also funcstoragecompartment of the cabinet,the opentions as a finish or trim strip. The gasket156 ings each beingclosed by a pair of covers or lids extends along the-lid sides 43 andend 44, against 28 connected together by a hinge 30. the underside ofthe lid ange 48 to seat on the Each of the cabinet lids 28 is ofcomposite conupper surface of the cabinet top wall when the structionand comprises in general, an inner dishlid is closed, as shown. Theclamping and finish like lid member QI' pan 32 and an. outer lidmemstrip 60 is U-shaped in cross section to receive ber or pan 34. Heatinsulation 38, which may the overlapping outer marginal portions of thelid pans 32, 34 and of the gasket 56. Also, the

Clamping and finish Strip is U-.shapedas seen in the plan view of thecabinet (Fig. 2),; the clamping strip extending along the side and oneend edge of the lid or along all but the hinge end of the lid. With thelid parts held together, such as by a suitable jig (not shown) theU-shaped clamping strip B may be slid endwise over the lid pans andgasket marginal portions after which the sides of the U-section clampingstrip are forced or pressed together under suitable pressure to hold thelid parts together. outer marginal portions of the inner and outer lidpans at the hinge end of the lid are secured together by the lid hinge30.

'Ihe hinge 30 comprises, a pair of elongated hinge or butt members 62and a pliable or flexible connecting member 64. As shown in Fig. 2, thehinge butts 62 are laterally positioned in spaced, parallel relation andare connected together by the pliable connecting member 64, the hingeextending along substantially the entire length of the lid hinge ends.The hinge butt connecting member 64 may comprise a strip of suitablypliable material preferably a durable and somewhat flexible material,such as, rubberized fabric. In order to provide an inexpensive,lightweight hinge, I make the hinge butts 62 of thin sheet metal,formed, as will later be seen, to be secured to the connecting member 64without need of exposed fastening means. The hinge members 62 are eachof angle shape in cross section having a pair of legs 56 and 68. Thelegs 65 of the hinge 3l] are respectively secured flat against opposedsurfaces of the lid hinge ends 4S, preferably by countersunk screws 10.The hinge butt legs E8 are reversely bent back in spaced relationthereto forming channels 12 in which opposite marginal side edgeportions -of the rubberized connecting member t4 are received and held.In the legs 68 of each hinge butt, a plurality of longitudinally spacedweld projections or bosses 'I4 is provided which extend respectivelythrough a plurality of apertures 15 provided in the rubberizedconnecting member 64, the projections 'I4 extending to the underside ofthe reversely bent leg portions of the channels '12. versely bent legportions of the channels 'I2 are forced inwardly against the rubberizedconnecting member 64 which is then somewhat displaced or is underpressure and the sides of the channels `I4 are then Welded together,thus securing the hinge butts to their connecting member 64 without needof exposed fasteners. Preferably the opposed edges of the channels 'i2are bent downwardly, as at Il, to embed in the rubberized connectingmember 64 to aid in attaching the parts together and further to avoidhaving rough, exposed edges of the hinge on which the hands may bescratched or out. The upper leg of the hinge butt 62 overlaps and seatsfiat against the outer marginal portion of the lid outer pan 34 holdingthe outer lid pan to the hinge end wall 46 without need of screws orother and similar fasteners. To aid in holding the outer and inner lidpans 32, 34 together at the hinge end of the lid, I form the angle hingebutts with an acute angle so that the legs S8 are forced apart toconform to the upper, exterior right angle of the lid end 46 when thescrews are drawn down, thus tensioning the legs so that a downward forceis exerted by the hinge leg 63 on the marginal portion of the outer pan34, clamping the pan along this margin to the upper flange 50 of the lidor hinge supporting end 45. At opposite ends of each of the hinge butts,extended, down- Wardly offset end portions I6 engage respectively 'inthe U-section clamping and finish strip sides The,

4 48 Where a single screw and nut is provided adjacent each end of theclamping strip, securing the inner and outer lid pans 32, 34, gasket 56and hinges together.

In the opposed outer surfaces of the lid hinge ends 4B, I provideoppositely disposed, elongated a resilient seal 82, preferably a tubularshaped member of rubber or rubberized material which,

, when the lids are closed engages in the recess In assembling thehingethe rey of the adjacent lid sealing the joint therebetween.

From theforegoing description, it will be noted that I have provided animproved ice cream cabinet lid of inexpensive light weight construction,yet one which is 'strong and durable. Also, I have provided a compositelid construction which may be readily assembled due to theinterconnecting relationship of the parts which eliminates largely theneed for exposed fasteners to connect the parts together. In thisconnection, I have provided a pair of hinged together lids in which thehinge serves to hold the lid parts together. In addition I have provideda pair of hinged together lids having provisions for sealing the jointtherebetween when the lids are closed.

Although only a preferred form of the invention has been illustrated,and that form described in detail, it will be apparent to those skilledin the art that various modifications may be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of theappended claims.

Iclaim:

1. A refrigerator cabinet closure member comprising, a pair of lidmembers having in closed position opposed end walls and coplanar topflanges, a pair of rigid hinge butts secured solely to said end wallsrespectively and overlying said flanges, top panels having marginalportions respectively overlying and clamped to said anges by said hingebutts, and a flexible hinge member having opposite edges received andsecured in said hinge butts.

2. A refrigerator cabinet closure member comprising, a pair of lidmembers having when in closed position opposed end walls and coplanartop fianges forming a pair of external upper corners, a pair of anglehinge butts fitting complementary to said corners and secured solely tosaid end walls, a pair of opposed retainer cha-nnels respectivelycarried by said hinge butts above said top flanges, separate top panelshaving marginal portions clamped by said angle hinge butts respectivelyto said Vcoplanar top flanges, and a flexible hinge member havingopposite marginal portions clamped in and to said retainer channe s.

ALVAH V. FROHNAPEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,990,871 Kloek@ Feb. 12, 19352,210,652 Dennett Aug. 6, 1940 2,331,512 Siedsclag Oct. 12, 1943 FOREIGNPATENTS Y Number Country Date 29,305 Great Britain A. D. 1906

